Projects

Reuse of SOLar PV Panels and EV Batteries for low-cost decentralised energy solutions and effective Recycling of critical raw MATErials from their EoL products

Coordinator:

VITO [Flemish Institute for Technological Research] (Belgium)

Description

Europe faces a critical need for critical raw materials (CRMs) to drive its green energy transition, aiming for climate neutrality by 2050. Key components like PV panels and batteries heavily rely on CRMs. However, traditional recycling methods fall short in harnessing their full potential.

In this context, the EU-funded SOLMATE project aims to establish a new industrial value chain for the sustainable reuse and recycling of PV solar panels and EV batteries. SOLMATE focuses on developing low-cost decentralised energy systems and environmentally friendly technologies to improve material recovery.

Aligned with waste hierarchy principles, SOLMATE strives for prevention, reuse, recycling, recovery, and disposal, paving the way for a greener future.

Objectives

The project is designed to lay the foundations of new sustainable business models, with partners focusing on five distinct objectives:

1. Decrease costs for decentralised energy systems’ components for the main components (PV panels and batteries), providing solutions for farmers, plug-in systems, and low-income households and communities.
2. Optimise processes related to the automation technologies for low-cost PV dismantling, sorting, and certification.
3. Reduce expenses associated with testing, repurposing, and warranting of EV batteries.
4. Enhance sorting and purification of PV glass containing CRMs from EoL industrial PV panel recycling lines.
5. Improve the refining and purification of CRMs for EoL EV batteries recycling, targeting a payback period reduction of the CROCODILE process to under 3 years.

Discover the SOLMATE project